


Count on Us

by Starlight_fallen



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:55:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23956465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlight_fallen/pseuds/Starlight_fallen
Summary: A chance encounter with a fellow book lover has Aziraphale and Crowley’s protective sides coming out.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	Count on Us

**Author's Note:**

> So this came to mind and I hope you all like it. I do have to add a TRIGGER warning to this just in case because it does have child abuse in the story. I’m going to try sticking to character as much as possible but I’m probably gonna step out a little bit to fit my story line. I’m aware my OC kind of resembles Matilda, she was what kind of jump started this fic, however Alyra has a good bit of my own personality and backstory. I got the idea when I was watching Matilda right after I watched Good Omens for the 12,000th time. 
> 
> The story takes place about 6 months post the Notcalypse.

Aziraphale heard the bell tinkle from the door opening. Half expecting Crowley to walk to the back room, where he knew Aziraphale would be, he didn’t call out “We’re closed” like he normally would. After a while, when he remembered the bell tinkling and no demon in sight, he stood up to investigate who entered his shop. 

“We are most definitely not..” he stopped suddenly when the small body came into view. 

Sitting in front of a slightly dusty bookshelf was a little girl, no more than 10 or so years old. In her lap sat a book, almost as big as she was. She was so enraptured with the book that she didn’t hear Aziraphale or see him when he entered the main shop area. 

“Excuse me, young lady. What are you doing here? Where are your parents?” Aziraphale asked, looking around, certain he would spot an adult with the little girl. 

A head of wavy brown hair shot up from the book, as though startled. Carefully, almost as though Aziraphale himself was handling the old tome, she closed the book and placed it back on the shelf from where she’d pulled it. Aziraphale breathed a quiet sigh of relief that no harm had come to his book. 

“I’m really sorry, sir. I just see your shop every day when I pass by it on the way to the library and I thought you might have some books here that the library doesn’t have. I’m terribly sorry if I’ve made you upset.” came the quiet reply. The little girl never once looked Aziraphale in the eyes, keeping her’s averted in what was a clear act of submission. 

Aziraphale could almost taste the tangible fear rolling off the child in waves. It made his corporation want to gag to remove the taste in his mouth. Slowly, as though he was approaching a wounded or scared animal, he walked up and kneeled down next to the little girl. He tried oh so very hard to ignore her flinching. 

“What’s your name, sweet one?” Aziraphale asked, injecting a bit of Heavenly influence to his voice to help calm the child. 

“Alyra.” 

“So, Alyra, you like to read? What’s your favorite book?” Aziraphale asked. 

Immediately her eyes brightened. Aziraphale couldn’t help but notice that her eyes were blue, but unlike his sky blue ones, her’s were a deep oceanic blue. 

“Oh yes sir! Books are my favorite thing in the entire world, always a new story, a new reality that you can get lost in. My favorite book right now is Harry Potter.” smiling sheepishly, Alyra was a lot calmer now. 

Smiling at her, Aziraphale stood back up. Immediately he saw Alyra shrink down again, looking like she was waiting for something to happen. Aziraphale felt that tension in between his shoulders as the fury curled in his chest. Someone had not been kind to this little girl, even a blind man would be able to see that. Tempering down his fury at whoever had scared her, Aziraphale offered her some hot chocolate. 

“It’s a chilly day, Alyra. Would you like to join me for some hot chocolate?” he was reluctant to let the little girl leave his shop just yet. 

Glancing outside, Alyra took note of the time of day. Turning back to Aziraphale, she nodded with a small smile gracing her face. 

_____________________________________

Sitting at his small table in his kitchen, Aziraphale watched Alyra regale him with all the stories and worlds she’d explored at her library. He learned that she taught herself to read when she was little, loved to read everything she could get her hands on, and that her favorites changed all the time. He smiled, loving her enthusiasm and love for books, much like his own. He learned that she had just turned 10, thought the world of the librarian, and she loved hot chocolate, but without marshmallows. 

After an hour of this, Aziraphale asked her about her parents, because surely they’d be worried and wondering where their child was. She clamed up immediately. Aziraphale felt the tension return to his shoulders again. 

“Are you okay, Alyra?” he asked quietly. 

Nodding, Alyra slid from the chair. Smiling at Aziraphale, Alyra said she needed to go. Slightly taken back by her sudden pressing to leave, Aziraphale stared for a moment at her. 

“Oh okay. But if you decide you want to come back, as long as you treat the books right, you can come and read them whenever you want.” Aziraphale told her. 

Now normally, Aziraphale didn’t really deal with children. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them, no, he loved children very much, they were after all, the most innocent of all of God’s creatures. But he was really protective of his books and most children didn’t know how to properly respect books. But clearly Alyra did. 

Nodding rapidly and with a promise she would always be extremely careful, Alyra left the bookshop. 

Aziraphale dropped into his chair in his back room with a heavy thud. He could still feel the lingering vestiges of Alyra’s fear. He sat there, staring at nothing trying to wrap his head around where his thoughts went to. 

That’s how Crowley found him the next day. He didn’t even realize the small passage of time until Crowley was standing in front of him shaking him. 

“Angel? Are you okay? You missed our breakfast meetup.” (Crowley was reluctant to call it a date because well, he didn’t deal well with rejection). Concern lacing his voice, he sat across from Aziraphale on the couch, hoping to snap his friend out of it. 

“Don’t you feel it, Crowley?” Aziraphale whispered, still trying to get the ideas out of his head. Nobody would be that cruel, right? But he knew better. 

Crowley was quiet for a minute before his eyes widened. He felt lingering feelings of fear. He jumped up and started looking all over Aziraphale, trying to figure out if he was okay. Where he’d been hurt. Who hurt him. 

“It’s not my fear, Crowley.” 

Finally focusing his eyes, Aziraphale looked at Crowley with anger in his eyes. Crowley jumped back to avoid the crackling lightning dancing across Aziraphale’s body. Last thing he needed was to be smited, he’d never be let out of Hell. 

Slightly jumping, Aziraphale hurried to apologize. 

“Oh dear! Crowley I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to lose control like that. I just.. It makes me so angry! How could they be so cruel?” Aziraphale ranted. 

Now Crowley was officially confused. 

“So it’s not your fear, you’re angry enough you lost control, and you’ve been sitting here for how long?” Crowley wanted desperately to know what was wrong with his Angel. 

So Aziraphale told him. About Alyra wandering into his shop, about her love for books, about her fear when he stood next to her. How she stopped talking and left as though Hell itself was chasing her when he asked about her parents. Crowley sat there and listened, feeling the same feeling of anger that Aziraphale felt. He knew the answer, because that lot always ended up Below. This was something that Crowley had never been able to stomach. Children were innocent. 

“Do you think she will come back?” 

“Oh my I hope so. She’s a sweet soul, clouded with a lot of torment, though she tries to hide it.” Aziraphale told him. 

________________________

It was two weeks later when Aziraphale and Crowley were sitting in the back room discussing their latest trip to St. James Park that was cut short due to a real downpour, that they both heard the bell announce someone’s arrival to the shop. Over the last two weeks, Aziraphale felt himself saddened every time the door opened and it wasn’t Alyra. So getting up to tell whoever came into his shop that they were closed, he was shocked when he saw Alyra, dripping wet standing in his doorway. 

“Oh my sweet girl! Whatever possessed you to come out in such a storm?” Aziraphale exclaimed, turning to grab a towel to wrap her in. As he got closer to her, he noticed the fading bruise on her cheek and the ones on her hand. He tried to quell the anger that coursed through him. 

Shivering, she smiled at him as she wrapped the towel around her small body. 

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Fell. I haven’t had a chance to come back lately. I really missed your hot chocolate and lovely books.” Alyra told him, not answering his question. Suddenly she stiffened, fear flooding the entire shop like a tidal wave. 

“My dear, what’s wrong?” Aziraphale asked, having never sensed this much fear from such a small child. Turning around, he noticed Crowley standing in the doorway to the back room and understanding dawned on him. 

“It’s okay, Alyra. This is a very dear friend of mine, Mr. Crowley. He’s okay, dear.” Aziraphale tried to calm her down. 

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you, Mr. Fell. I’ll leave now.” Alyra said, eyes downcast. 

“Oh pish!” Crowley exclaims, making Alyra jump and her eyes widen even further. “You can’t go back out in that storm, you’ll catch your death.” 

Aziraphale turned to glare at Crowley for a few seconds before he turned back to Alyra. 

“He’s right dear, you can’t go back out there while it’s storming so badly. You can stay here with us and warm up with some hot chocolate and books.” Aziraphale said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

He really should have expected it. With what him and Crowley deduced, it should not have really shocked him (or Crowley) when she jumped at least a foot in the air and stumbled back against the door. The fear that had slowly been receding thanks to Aziraphale projecting his Heavenly goodness suddenly was ten times more potent in the air. Aziraphale actually gagged from it’s heaviness. Crowley’s eyes flashed, unbeknownst to Alyra and Aziraphale. 

Dropping the towel, Alyra threw the door open and fled the shop, Aziraphale and Crowley calling after her. 

It would be another month before Aziraphale and Crowley saw Alyra again. 

_______________________________

In that month, Aziraphale went from being worried and fretting for Alyra to being angry at whatever force was keeping the girl away from his shop. 

Crowley, being the sneaky demon that he is, went investigating. But he wasn’t able to get a lot of information on Alyra. You would think that a name like Alyra would be easy to track but no. It was almost like the girl didn’t exist. 

Precisely 29 days later, the bell tinkled over the shop door. Aziraphale, who’s gotten used to running every time he heard it, in hopes it was Alyra, rushed downstairs from the flat above the shop. 

Standing there, looking sheepish, was Alyra. 

“Oh my dear girl, wherever have you been?” Aziraphale just stopped short of hugging her. He’d never admit that he’d grown fond of the innocent child, who had been given such a deep burden to bare at such a young age. 

“I’m really sorry I ran away last time. I don’t like being touched but you didn’t know that, but I shouldn’t have run away from you like that.” Alyra explained, looking down at her feet. Aziraphale noticed her clothes were covering her arms and while not particularly unusual for London at almost any time of year, made Aziraphale wonder just what was under the sleeves. 

Aziraphale looked at her with wide eyes. “Oh my dear, you don’t need to apologize. I shouldn’t have touched you without your permission. I’m sorry that we scared you so badly last time but I’m beyond glad you’ve come back. I have some really special hot chocolate that I thought you might like to try.” 

Eyes brightened then slightly dimmed. “Is your friend here? I really should tell him I’m sorry for being so rude last time.” 

Smiling softly at Alyra, Aziraphale beckoned her to follow him to the little kitchen in the back. 

“He’ll be around sometime this afternoon I’m sure. Come now, let’s enjoy some cocoa.” Entering the small kitchen, Aziraphale grabbed the milkand started heating it. Both him and Alyra looked toward the door when they heard the bell sound off. 

“Angel, get the vodka out.” They heard Crowley call. Alyra immediately tensed. Crowley walked in, not even noticing the little girl sitting at the table or the angel trying to calm her down, and starting digging through the cabinets looking for the vodka he knew Aziraphale kept. 

A whimper escaped Alyra despite her trying to contain it. Crowley froze. Aziraphale froze too, thinking Alyra was going to bolt again. Crowley stopped looking for the alcohol and turned around to see the little girl trying very hard to hide her shaking. The fear was palpable again. Crowley, who normally would thrive on the fear, never could stomach it from a child. Dropping his hands, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses, as he saw her flinch. 

“Ahh, Crowley, I’m glad you stopped by. Alyra here was wondering if you’d be by since she feels she needs to unnecessarily apologize.” Aziraphale tried to fill the silence. 

Alyra swallowed and was still fidgeting, “Mr. Crowley, I’m really sorry I was rude when we met. I just don’t like being touched and I was rude for running away. I hope you both forgive me, but I understand if you don’t want me coming back.” 

Crowley could feel his eye twitch underneath his sunglasses. Aziraphale stared at Alyra with shock coloring his face. 

“Alyra, that never crossed our minds. You’re welcome here for as long as you want, dear girl.” Aziraphale said, half reaching out to comfort her before he stopped himself. He let his arm drop when he realized what he was doing. Offering comfort is as natural to Aziraphale as breathing is for humans. 

Crowley let out a quiet sigh. 

“Kid, I don’t know who made you literally breathe fear, but you don’t ever have to fear either of us. Angel here wouldn’t let it happen.” Crowley said, sitting down across from Alyra. Alyra was wide eyed, staring at the demon (though she didn’t know that). Slowly, with the help of Aziraphale’s influence, the fear receded, and everyone breathed easier. Aziraphale resumed making hot chocolate and tea. Placing the cups on the table, Aziraphale asked Alyra what books she was reading now. And like before, Alyra lights up and starts talking about her new reads, what she learned in school and how she wants to research it during the summer holiday, and how much she can’t wait until the next school year starts. 

While she was drinking her hot chocolate, Crowley leaned into Aziraphale and whispered, “It’s no wonder she wants the school year to get back, I wouldn’t want to be home either.” Aziraphale just nodded his head. 

_________________________________

Since it was summer, Aziraphale offered for Alyra to come by every day if she wanted to. Little did he know that she would actually take him up on that offer. Aziraphale would leave the back room at just after 8am every day and see Alyra knocking on the door. She’d stay all day, combing through all the tomes that Aziraphale had collected in the last 6000 years. Aziraphale would try coaxing her out to the park with him and Crowley or out to eat but she’d find excuses to leave when he offered. She still wore long sleeves, even as the summer weather got warmer. 

Both him and Crowley split their free time (of which they now had a lot of since the Armageddon that wasn’t was avoided and their respective head offices ignored their existence) sitting with Alyra and reading. Crowley teaches Alyra how to play cards, Aziraphale discusses books and theories with Alyra, Alyra reminding both Crowley and Aziraphale just why they loved humanity (even if they didn’t love the people who hurt her). They learned that Alyra doesn’t like alcohol so they refrain from even mentioning it when she’s around, she learns that they love each other but are too stubborn to admit it. She felt safe. 

__________________________

Late one night, about 2 months into Alyra coming regularly to the shop, it’s once again pouring down rain, Aziraphale and Crowley were sitting on the couch in the back room sipping a really good wine and talking about how it’ll be off not having Alyra there every day now that school was starting again. 

“It will be odd not having the kid here. But I am curious as to how she’s managed to spend so much time here this summer.” Crowley said, downing the rest of his wine. 

Suddenly, there was a banging on the door. It sounded like someone was desperate to get into the shop. Aziraphale and Crowley jump up at the same time, sobering up as they tore from the back room to the front of the shop. They could just make out a little body in the rainstorm. Crowley unlocks the door and it flies open, Alyra crashing into Crowley and wrapping her arms around him like her life depended on it. Aziraphale had the good sense to shut and lock the door again. 

But without warning, there was an even more loud bang hitting the door. The outline of two people could be seen outside of the door. Crowley tensed, mind immediately conjuring Heaven or Hell at the door, but Alyra wasn’t letting go of him so he could investigate. 

A male voice could be heard calling from the storm. The voice reminded Crowley of Gabriel when he told ‘Aziraphale’ to shut up and die already. 

Alyra screamed and begged to be protected. It was then that the stench of blood met both his and Aziraphale’s noses. Crowley stiffened and hissed, Aziraphale’s face had gone blank. 

“Take her to the back room, Crowley. I will handle this.” Aziraphale said, his voice layered with fury and power. Crowley started to protest but one look at Aziraphale’s eyes told Crowley now wasn’t the time. 

Nodding, Crowley gathered Alyra in his arms and walked her to the back room. Aziraphale turned to the door and as the man started to bang on the door again, it flew open. A man stood there, gaping at Aziraphale. Most would have cowered at the righteous fury radiating off of Aziraphale. 

But not all humans are born with the sense of self preservation that the Almighty gave them in the beginning. 

Aziraphale could see the man’s mouth moving, but the words were drowned out. The Principality was emerging, a warrior now stood in front of a stupid human who got a kick out of abusing innocence. 

In his anger, his righteous fury, his love for the little human girl who stumbled into his bookshop months ago, that loved books almost as much as Aziraphale himself did, wings coated in light and specks of lightning, burst forth. The human smartly stepped back. 

In the blink of an eye, he was on his knees, begging forgiveness. 

“She is no longer yours. You were given a gift from the Almighty herself, to love and treasure. And yet instead you beat her, you make her reek of fear any time she does anything, and you have the gall to call her your daughter?!” 

His voice has been laced with the power of Heaven behind it. The man tremble in front of it. He was scrambling back onto the wet street, trying to put distance between himself and the newest addition to the confrontation. 

If the power of Heaven wasn’t enough to put the fear of God herself into him, having the power of Hell facing them certainly did. Glasses gone, tongue forked, looking every bit the demon he is, Crowley stood just outside of Aziraphale’s heavenly power. 

“You will never touch her again. Do not come back for her or you will wish for death.” Crowley threatened. The man nodded and took off into the storm without looking back. 

Aziraphale’s shoulders dropped as he regained control from the Principality. Crowley grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug. 

“Is she okay?” Aziraphale asked, muffled thanks to his face being buried in Crowley’s chest. 

“I stopped the bleeding and made her sleep. Angel, what they did to her, how she managed to run here, it’s got to be a miracle. But I think she’s going to be okay.” Crowley said, offering his friend the comfort he knew he needed. It wasn’t often that Crowley saw Aziraphale lose his temper like that. In fact, it was only 2 times in their 6000 year history that it happened. But that was a story for a different time. 

Slowly Aziraphale pulled away from Crowley, turning to go back into the back room. Alyra was sleeping on the couch, her breathing even. Not that Aziraphale doubted Crowley, but there’s always extra that divineness can do that demonic can’t so he ran his hand above her body to add some healing to Crowley’s. They both felt her slip further into sleep. 

“I don’t know about you, Angel, but I need something a little stronger than wine after this.” Crowley said, heading to the kitchen. Aziraphale followed, because even if he didn’t say, he did too. 

They both sat at the table, downing tumbler after tumbler of alcohol. They knew they needed to talk about what would happen with Alyra because obviously, she couldn’t go back to that man. He’d succeed in killing her this time. 

“She can stay with me, you know I don’t really sleep like you do so the room upstairs will be okay.” Aziraphale said, downing alcohol straight from the bottle at this point. 

“Well I was thinking, you know, maybe we could all get a place for all of us. I get the feeling she doesn’t have friends and getting her out of London seems like a good idea.” Crowley said, reaching for the bottle. 

Aziraphale squashed the small feeling of disappointment that blossomed because it took this for Crowley to suggest they move in together. 

On the outside though, he nodded, agreeing with Crowley. 

“How does Tadfield sound?” Aziraphale asked, smiling a little bit. 

____________________________

It took Alyra almost 3 days to wake up. Aziraphale was in the kitchen, making a fresh cup of tea when he heard a gasp and the shop flooded with fear again. Setting his cup down, he rushed out to the back room to make sure Alyra was okay. 

“Shhh Alyra, you’re okay. You’re okay.” Aziraphale calmly said. 

It took Alyra’s mind a few moments to calm down enough to realize where she was and who was with her. 

“How did I get here?” she asked, looking at Aziraphale with those oceanic eyes that hid traumas Aziraphale didn’t want to think about. 

“You came here a few days ago. You’ve been asleep this whole time.” Aziraphale explained. 

Sitting there, Alyra recalled the night she ran. Her eyes got wide when she realized what happened. 

Dropping her head into her hands, she started rocking back and forth. “No, no, no. He’s going to kill me.” was said like a mantra. 

Aziraphale moved and sat next to her, pulling her into him. He felt her tense but didn’t try to flee this time. Moving her head to look at him, Aziraphale told her “He is never going to touch you again, Alyra. Ever. You’re not going back to him.” 

He saw his words sink in, watched her eyes widen, then fill with tears. “Where will I go then?” was said with such heartbreak. 

“You’ll stay with us.” 

Looking up, neither one had noticed Crowley had entered the shop and then the back room. Tossing Aziraphale a packet, Crowley sat on the other side of Alyra. 

While Aziraphale was busy opening the packet, Crowley looked at Alyra from behind his sunglasses. “You’re going to stay with Mr. Fell and me and we will protect you. You never have to see him again.” 

Alyra sat quiet for a few moments before launching back into Crowley’s arms. Aziraphale joined the hug too after he got over the shock of what was in the packet. 

They had a home in Tadfield.


End file.
